Subtle Palter Akutagawa X Reader X Atsushi
by Dan-Mochi
Summary: A reticent tragedy occurred years ago and the memory you have of it is off. You were taken in by an ability organization because your higher up had said that the power within you is immense. It is up to you to find out about the tragic event and how is it so outre for you. Along your treading to your past, you meet some peculiar people whom you could trust and not trust.
1. 1- The Girl Who Lived

**Ch. 01: The Girl Who Lived**

Cold steel wrapped around your frail little arms as you were tossed into the darkest part of the truck. You knew this was your end. A life of a wandering girl searching for light, to decrease her stakes of dying in a world like this. This was you. It's your story.

The vehicle moved, making you swerve to the right. The force crashed into your already weak body. Hunger was taking over you, making you much more tired and weak.

Days have passed since your house and parents were burnt to ashes. It was all coming too fast. Your parents helped you get out and only for them to sacrificed their lives just for you, their precious little daughter.

Your tired state is slowly taking over you. Your eyelids have to flutter every now and then to make yourself awake a little longer. Who knows where they are going to take you... or kill you.

"Wake up, girl."

You slowly opened your eyes and took the time to adjust to the brightness of the room. Your handcuffed hands were free now, and you found yourself lying on the cold floor. Your legs felt shakey as you stood slowly.

Where? The room was all elegant and expensive-looking. Who could have thought to take you in here? This is a place for the rich.

"Now, now. We know you are asking in that little of head of yours of why you are here,"

The voice from before belonged to a man. His clothes were as expensive as the room.

"Sorry for being rude to bring you here in such short notice. But, we brought you here to keep you safe from the criminal underground organization as we call the Port Mafia."

You've heard of the Port Mafia. They were famous for criminal activities in the area where you live.

"They were the ones who killed your parents,"

Your throat was dry and you gulped the last bit of saliva in your mouth. You thought of vengeance... but quickly swept it away for it may not help you. What can you gain from revenge? Let karma do the job.

"I have heard that your family has a bloodline of ability users... very skilled ability users,"

The man continued on.

"Also, we are seeking to end the reign of the Port Mafia in this place. And we might need your help. That is your purpose for now."

"How did I get here?" You spoke your first words when you have arrived in this place.

"We put you up in the truck, of course. And whisked you away to our airship Moby Dick."

"I thought I was gonna die in there. I thought my body is going to be sold in the black market,"

He removed his coat and placed it on your shoulder. You were fine with your ripped ragged clothing, but reluctantly accept the offer of the man.

"Negative thoughts in those kind of situations don't help, girl." He paused for a while to think on what to say.

"I apologize for the late introductions. I am Francis Fitzgerald. Mind if I know yours?"

You clutched the coat tighter to your body, "my name is JK... JK Rowling,"

"Ah... we were too late to get her, Elise-chan,"

"If only you have sent your skilled subordinates this wouldn't have happened,"

The little blonde girl sprawled on the floor. She grabbed a black crayon and drew on the floor.

"Everything has been burned to ashes even the bodies. Even the person we are aching to look for. But I have no regrets if we lose everything in that mission. If we have her or not, we're still fine. But if we still have her, we could have been the slightest bit advantegeous."

He raised a thin stick as dark as charcoal. He waved it around, "and this is the only thing that is ever left in the fire."

The little girl called Elise, added the finishing touches to her drawing. She drew the family she grew up with. The Port Mafia.

The wind whipped your hair as you observe the people loading cargo to the ship. You were assigned to watch over the docks to see some strange sightings, if there were.

"Fancy meeting you here, Miss Alcott," you greeted the shy tactican who immediately curled up into her own shell.

"M-Miss Rowling, I ha--"

"Miss Alcott, you're older than me. Why the politeness?"

"I-I'm sorry!" Her fretful face turned to worry.

"I sense a terrible future coming and you were there... in the pandemonium." She breathed in heavily, her glasses clouding her eyes, "what have you done wrong?"

There was a big change in her mood. When a hand touches her shoulder, it faded away.

"Where is she?"

The sound of flesh being pierced rang in your ears. Blood sprayed over your face. Louisa May Alcott fainted as she was stabbed by the boy who's famous over being called as the 'Silent Rabid Dog'.

You've checked up on his profile years ago when you were still finding out what your ability is.

Louisa was dropped to the ground like a heavy sack. Unnoticed from before, everyone was laying fainted or dead.

The 'Silent Rabid Dog' coughed in between words, "where is she? Where is this Rowling girl?"

As the only person with conciousness, you have to eliminate this foe. You punched him but he blocked it off with his coat that cut through your wrists.

His coat bared fangs at you, the menace in his aura shakes you with fear. You were powerless against him. You don't even know what your abilities were. Fighting against an experienced ability user over your unknown ability, the odds flew off through the sky.

"So this is what the guild is," the words he spat has poison, "weaklings."

"Whatever the case, I am not ignoring this mission for my own benefit." He looked at you, his eyes sending a bolt of fear to anyone who would stare at it.

You remember that he was looking for you. Why would he need you? He is a member of the Port Mafia, what can he benefit from the likes of you? He doesn't know what you looked like, he only knows your name. An advantage to use.

"Tell me where is this Rowling girl or I will kill you. I have an important package to give her of."

Package. Could be a bomb. But at times like this, a package for you, a probability of a trap or he was saying the truth.

"Why do you need to send her a package, anyway?"

"You think I'm lying? Pathetic girl." He threw a long, slim, object wrapped in white clothing to your face.

"He said he knows. He wants to see her unleash it." He slowly made his exit out of the dock.

You felt useless as you see him walking farther away. Losing a subordinate at your useless state, guilts you to the core. You set aside the 'package' and stood up. Bruises covered your legs and arms, your shorts and shirt ripped.

"Akutagawa, your fame has reached my ears." You said.

He stopped walking but never turned to face you.

"Why not kill me along with the others? You had the chance back there."

"Killing someone as weak as you is a waste of my time."

You knew he was lying. He killed the innocent who got along with this massacre. Why hasn't he targeted you first?

His shady figure faded along with the setting sun. You ran off to find Louisa, the girl had nothing to do with this. Even the people who mindlessly loaded the cargo to the ship.

"I'm sorry, Miss Alcott."

"Three years, Miss Rowling. For three years, you still haven't learned your ability."

"But Mr. Fitzgerald, there must be a weapon or something that got burned in the house fire back then, that is why she can't activate it."

Louisa lay on the hospital bed. She had been stabbed on the stomach and turned out to be fine. Her dark expression before that inicident happened, were still very fresh in your mind.

You still haven't reported the package that the Port Mafia gave to you. It must have been very important to give it to you in person, in a very shocking way. You took out the object, still wrapped in the clothing.

"I apologize that I intereupted your discussion, Mr. Fitzgerald. But the Port Mafia has given me a present. I haven't opened it, yet."

The person who supposedly saved you years ago, snatched the object out of your grasps and unwrapped it hastily.

"A stick." He looked baffled. "Why has the Port Mafia given you this useless twig?"

"Um... why would they give the effort to give this to JK?" Louisa chimed into the conversation, "it might have been a wand."

"Your fantasies Ms. Alcott, do not exist in this world." Francis growled to let out a bit of temper. He's had enough of you loafing around and with Louisa making it quite worse.

"Wow. Fantasies? How come almost everyone in this room has superhuman abilities?"

"What are saying in an inaudible tone, Miss Rowling?"

"Nowt," you replied slyly and silently whispered to the tiniest bit that only an ant can hear, "what a shirty man,"

He gave the stick along with the cloth back to you and silently went out of the room. There was a moment of a serene wonderland. In all quietness and stillness.

"Mr. Fitzgerald isn't usually that short-tempered or hot-tempered, it's just the way he treats you."

"Well, blimey..."

The sound of the air conditioner hums, audible whispers of employess outside the room resonates. It was almost deafening. The silence in the room.

Just like that day. You've been deaf in that fire storm. Leading you into the hidden trapdoor, seeing their skin forming a burn, bubbling up and turning to mucky red.

Your father's left eye crackled due to the immense heat. Even if you were to pull them down, they would eventually die. This degree of burn is deadly and with the weak body.

"Go. Go!" Your mother shoved you deeper into the void of the trapdoor.

"Go on. Live."

Her smile punctured your heart, knowing that they will die. And she pushed you with the last bit of her strength, you fell down into the trapdoor and landed on your bum.

Realizing that the place was almost as your height, you pounded on the door, begging for them to come with you. Alas, you cannot open it, to no choice but to go through this pit.

How long have you walked through that passageway? Albeit you never even made the effort to walk, enveloped with the sudden grief of the loss of your parents... and everything.

Lest, it was only you. You only have yourself to rely on.

Sitting in that dark passage for minutes? Hours? Days? You haven't known for only darkness is what you have seen.

Remembering what your mother had said, you stood up on your fourteen year old feet and walked to where the void is going to take you.

The rays of the sun blinded you as you went out of the sewers which meant to be the passageway. Towering men of ripping muscles awaited you on the exit.

Yes, they were waiting for you. They took hold of your arms, shackled your hands, and overthrew you into their vehicle.

You were the girl who lived through this.


	2. 2- Taradiddle

Only Louisa's squeaky voice snapped you out of your forlorn reminisce. The girl was happily talking about the man who saved you.

Ever since you joined this ability organization, you've been thickening your facade of being mischievous hiding that melancholy of loss. A naughty girl who knacks the big boss. You've pranked him plenty times.

For three years in this airship, you've been aching to discover your ability. The ability they have been talking about, that all odds are going to dwindle.

"I-- pardon me, Miss Alcott. I feel quite sick. May I need some time out?"

She silently nodded at you.

You traipsed out of the room, passing and bumping into strangers in the airship. You opened a small shut. Until you came out, feeling the wind of the sea hitting on your face was relaxing, so easy to breathe. They landed Moby Dick in the middle of a body of water.

Clenching your fists, you gripped the stick you've been carrying all along. It was made of wood, the handle just fits perfectly on your hand. So firm, just the right grip.

A wave of nostalgia hit you as continue to stare at the stick. The ship changed course and you stumbled back inside. Instead of hitting hard cold walls, it was a soft sensation.

"Gyaaaahh!!!"

Then the loud thud of bodies come.

"Oh, hey, Lucy. Thanks for the catch."

"Why did you open that?"

She shoved you off of her. Her grouchy attitude still visible on her face. Her maid attire broke your hard fall, seeing that her dress was really crumpled.

"Shall I buy an iron?"

"I don't need that."

The flare in her eyes stares immensely at you. But you payed no heed to her look. You remembered the garish clothing she used to wear and now to see her wearing a maid outfit.

"Then, please, accompany me to Yokohama just to traipse around."

She glowered at you, "I don't know why an eighteen year old scum asks a twenty year old to accompany her binge shopping,"

You took a swig of tea, replenishing your tired state. The both of you have been jovially wandering around Yokohama, albeit Lucy hated to admit that she was enjoying this. She wasn't even aware that she was wearing the maid attire as she goes sight-seeing. She expected you to binge shop and believes that you took hold again of Fitzgerald's wallet.

Possible. You could of have swiped Fitzgerald's wallet and buy yourself clothing. You only have two sets of clothing. A pair of black jeans, a white long-sleeved polo shirt. Which you are currently wearing. The second set would be a black long-sleeved polo shirt and shorts that you would wear along with stockings. Fitzgerald said so... it wasn't any to your liking. Lastly, a pair of combat boots for your feet.

Everyday you were going on with your laundry, but glad enough that your clothing is sufficient. Fitzgerald got enough money (or too much) to buy you more clothing, why few? You need plenty.

"Hey, JK, a Japanese isn't supposed to gulp down tea in a second." Lucy scolded, her harsh tone resonating in the silent cafe.

"But I'm not a Japanese."

She closed her eyes and sighed heavily, her breath almost reaching you, "we both are."

It was convenient to use Lucy's ability to exit the airship. That was the reason why you've brought along Lucy. Maybe you were forcing her to neglect her job as a helper and let her be kicked out of the group.

"Don't go mumbling about loudly. I can hear you wanting to make me a stray."

"You're my higher-up, I'm currently accompanying and assisting you at the moment so Mr. Fitzgerald has no reason to just let me go."

You finished drinking and wiped off your mouth with your sleeve, "good point."

You looked outside to the burning sky. The sun was setting, it's aura glistening over the edges of the clouds. It was a ravishing scenery. You looked back to Lucy. The red-head was also captivated to the beauty. You wanted to invite her to watch the sunset at the docks, but you had enough trouble at that kind of setting since yesterday.

Fitzgerald found Lucy impractical. Her ability was concluded not suitable for combat so she was demoted. Both of you were orphans, but for her side, she had it worse. Since she was indebted to the rich man, she had to serve him.

The bell rang. A certain boy who was about your age walks in, struts in silence like a cat. His eyes captivated you the most. A man covered in bandages trails behind him.

"Lu--"

But she was not there. The only thing she left behind was her unfinished tea. Within the blink of an eye, the girl disappeared. The bandaged man took the lead to come to you, his eyes full of surprise. There was this moment of fresh nostalgia.

Who was this man? The brown hair, the bandage covered body, the coat.

"You--" he pointed a finger at you.

"Hmm?"

"My lady, would you do me the honor of doing double-suicide together?" He kneeled in front of you, taking your hand as if he was proposing to you.

"Dazai-san!" The white-haired called.

The boy grabbed his companion's shoulder and dragged him away from you. The boy had a hard time pulling him because he kept clutching you. When the shenanigan was over, the three of you settled down and took a seat.

The man named 'Dazai' was still fawning over you, he was giving you winks and the pretty eyes.

"We're from the Armed Detective Agency. I'm Nakajima Atsushi and this is my colleague, Dazai Osamu,"

Atsushi Nakajima. The name was so familiar. Where have you heard it before?

Dazai took your hand again and caresses it.

"Well-- er... he's quite the ladies' man," you paused, you recalled hearing of the Armed Detective Agency, "I've heard of the agency..."

"You're not from here?" Atsushi takes a portion of his chazuke and gulps it on one bite. For a moment there, you thought how he quickly got his order.

"I was born in this country but my parents were Westerners," with that said, you swatted Dazai's hand away, "Oh, and I'm JK, JK Rowling."

Akutagawa walks, his coat swishing with the air. It still bothered him. Why couldn't he kill the girl? He had this feeling she was more than what she is through her appearance. His rule of eliminate all foes at once and leave one to be tolerated and throw it aside when it becomes useless wasn't applied.

A very peculiar feeling for him to feel. It was very peculiar of him to feel something. A gut feeling, perhaps. His stomach churned as he thinks more and more of it.

Who was she?

"Senpai, is something wrong?" Higuchi asks. She was the person who walked alongside him as they enter the hideout.

Akutagawa's old nom de guerre suited him perfectly. 'Silent Rabid Dog'.

Higuchi's question was answered with his silence.

"That's interesting," you remarked.

The café in the first floor and the agency at the third floor. Fascinating. It was a fuss getting out of Dazai's flirty antics and it was difficult to get a normal conversation going on. If it weren't for Atsushi, Dazai would have already assaulted you.

You ordered a cinnamon roll and coughed at the first bite you took.

"JK-san, are you fine?" Atsushi worriedly asks.

"Yeah..." you coughed between words, "I--I'm fine."

Somewhere along the conversation about the Armed Detective Agency, the door slammed open and there came a blonde man with his long, thin hair tied into a ponytail. He tapped his foot furiously while holding a book with the label 'Ideals'.

He glowered at Dazai's direction and Dazai paused on his current action.

"I only said it's Atsushi's break. Get back to work!"

The blond man pulled the eccentric Dazai out of the cafe and all disruptions ended. All was peace and quiet.

"Quite a show." You remarked, "was the blond man also a member?"

You received a nod from Atsushi.

"I'm so lost. Why did Lucy leave me? The old man is going to shave me." You sighed.

You sat on a bench at an empty park. The chirp of crickets and the slur of the cicadas harmonized together. It was night but the city was still filled with wandering people and couples and a single child buying vegetables for their supper.

If one would be worried about you, it would be Fitzgerald. He would recklessly come after you or send someone. But you have doubted that he would at these times. He seemed to be in his limit of your shenanigan.

A way to describe your situation, terribly hopeless. Lucy disappeared as soon as the two agents went inside the cafe. You suspected she knew them since she used to take out missions like Twain and Steinbeck.

You knew how much Fitzgerald wanted to capture-- you rememberred it at the most delayed time.

The leader of The Guild wanted Atsushi Nakajima. The man always spouted he wanted the man-tiger. You remembered him mentioning the name that's why Atsushi's name felt so familiar. Everytime you bring up something to Fitzgerald, it would swerve to a topic about the tiger and... Zelda.

Then something struck you. Was Fitzgerald making you a replacement for his daughter? Impossible. He wanted to revive his daughter from the beginning.

Guilt took over your mind as you remembered the most important people should be in your life. Your parents. Still, you felt something off with your guilt like a very big portion of the memory is gone. Remembering so much from a years old memory makes your head hurt. You'll leave it to a clueless state.

"That look on your face..." she uttered with the whiz of the passing cars, "you're thinking or were you worried?"

Her eyes was on the verge of tears streaming down. You don't know what her valid reason on why she would cry at a time like this.

Lucy could of have been the one worried and not you.

"What do you think of Atsushi?"

Your suspects were true. Her question proved it.

"You know Atsushi?"

Her forceful voice stopped you from tolerating her any longer.

"Answer me."

What should you answer?

A) He's a very great guy and I think he's pretty sweet.

B) He seems okay. Atsushi's a guy who'll get along well with everyone.

C)A person striving to get his hard work pay well.

(All choices were answered with Lucy's blunt reply).

"What a gorgeous comment I received."

A smile twitched on the corners of her lips. She tugged you off the bench and went to a place that you would exactly go.

However, you find it disgusting to find refuge inside the guts of a gigantic whale.

A) Atsushi's Affections 5; Lucy's Trust 5

B) Atsushi's Affections 3 ; Lucy's Trust -1

C) Atsushi's Affections 2


	3. 3- Evanesce of the Auspicious

"Say goodbye to the furtuitous days you once have. It has become foreboding."

It clicked as she placed the gleaming yellow phone on the receiver. The yellow wires twinkled with unbeknownst blinking of light similar to that of the stars.

With so many trials and errors she has done, all came to a failure. What is it that changes the flow of the dimension that sends it to the same scene as before? She has seen a jovial man but his objectives in this dark days were too enigmatic.

He coaxes his victims, he was prevaricating them, then let themselves believe that the fabrications of the words were true. Oh, how helpless, hopeless, they could be.

"I can't change it. She's living the life mendaciously. Plenty of fabrications."

With a few confusing set of timelines, she still has to fix it. The plan only involved one person, but with the Coaxing Man, it connects to various people, various groups.

The contents of the cup shook making a tiny ripple. That was Lucy's cup that she left unfinished. You looked at your right hand wrapped in bandage which you almost forgot, it came from Rashoumon. Akutagawa is believed to left no one alive in its wake. He spared you. Thinking that you weren't the JK he was looking for. He needed someone to deliver the so called 'package'.*

You looked through the windows and saw the tall buildings, "Yokohama is a lovely city." And frowned, "it's a shame there have been so many criminal acts a lot lately."

"I could agree with you more, JK-san," Atsushi mimicked your actions.

The bell rang again. There entered a quirky trio inside the cafe. The middle one, who is a woman, waved a hand to Atsushi and the boy waved back in a welcoming way. They all went to the table both you and Atsushi occupied.

The woman elbowed Atsushi, "didn't know you had a girlfriend."

You blushed and quickly defended, "y-you're mistaken, miss. I'm a new friend of Atsushi's,"

A man clad in a brown cloak intervenes the woman. And the woman looked dumbfounded by his behavior, "a lady is with Atsushi and a person will likely assume that they are a couple."

He quickly puts on a pair of glasses, "this case is closed and has been done successfully. The gorgeous lady is not Atsushi's lover."

"How can you tell it that way, Ranpo?"

He places both hands on his hips, "well, my dear, Kenji, if they are really a couple they would have already been smooching."

The woman smacks the detective-like person named Ranpo on the head.

"Careful with your words there," she glared.

After a quick introduce to the quirky three and Ranpo had concluded you were to be trusted, the whole thing turned out into a small celebration for a new friendship.

The woman was Yosano Akiko, a doctor and a medic to the Armed Detective Agency. Ranpo Edogawa, the one who is like a detective but was actually doing the job of a detective in the agency. He solved all his cases in a split-second with his ability Super Deduction. Lastly, is the Kenji Miyazawa. The others had warned you over his overwhelming strength within him. He may not look like it, but he is. Just from the looks of his clothing, he was far from the city.

When the order has been placed on the table, they all feasted at once on the small cake you all had asked to welcome you to be their acquaintance.

Kenji couldn't get enough of the cake which he mostly ate out of the five of you. He ordered another and ate in a flash and he quickly fell asleep. Nobody told you that this person had a huge appetite.

Yosano and Ranpo haven't even finished eating their first slice as Kenji fell asleep. They looked at you apologetically. Atsushi, on the other hand, played with his food.

"JK," Ranpo said, "I believe you were with someone before Atsushi? I have seen the cup half-full of tea earlier. Neither you and Atsushi touched it."

You flinched, "y-yes. But she quickly left."

"Hmm... a she," he rubs his chin, "Hey, hey, Atsushi," Ranpo called to Atsushi, "she's available."

Atsushi replied with an innocent smile, "I knew that Ranpo-san. She's always ready to talk to. You should be able to talk to her and I can see you have already done it."

"Give up." Yosano said as she took a bite of her cake. The detective sighed not in defeat but how his plans had gone out wonky because of a certain density. That certain density can be more dense than a floater.

After quite some time, Ranpo teased and pushed you and Atsushi together. You wondered what his problem is. Yosano constantly scolded the man child of his behavior.

With all the commotion, Kenji remained asleep in his slumber. He neither kicked nor turned on his sitting-position. His almost quiet snore never interrupted the small celebration.

"How has Dazai-san been doing with his work?" Atsushi started.

"Oh, he's fine." The doctor replied blandly, "Kunikida's got him under control."

Ranpo spoke with his mouth full of cake chunks, "don't worry, Atsushi. He should be doing his job and not slacking off and not let someone do his work."

Yosano scowled at his words, "Says the person slacking off."

You're starting to think that if Dazai doesn't have an ability in the beginning, then, he would end up in the streets with no job whatsoever. And he might have fulfilled his double-suicide wish.

As the felicity goes on, the sonorous harmony of conversations of everyone around the table slowly turned to stillness.

"Yosano-san, what time is it?"

She looked at the wall clock in the cafe, "Eh? It's almost quarter to eight." She turned her attention to you, "why'd you ask?"

"W-what!? The old man's hair will get even whiter! I've got to go!" You hurriedly get yourself out of the table, "I haven't realized that it's this late."

"I'm sorry. Yosano-san, Ranpo-san, Atsushi and sleeping Kenji... I have some people looking for me."

As you took a step, you were stopped abruptly when Atsushi held your wrist to stop you.

"Can we meet you again?"

A.) I don't know.

B.) Of course. I would be glad to.

C.) ...

Proceed to each options.

Option A:

"I- I don't know," your words were barely audible.

You can see Atsushi barely making a frown but managed to say, "I know we'll meet again. I just have the feeling."

"He's like a cat," Yosano stated.

"What are you talking about? He is a cat," Ranpo said as if it were the most obvious thing. And it was.

The woman glared at him and they blabbered. You looked at Atsushi's face, then the eyes.

What could have Fitzgerald want with him? Could it be-- nope. He isn't attracted to young men like Atsushi. You need to stop getting thoughts like that. He has a wife.

You shook the strange thoughts away and focused on the man-tiger, "I, too, believe we'll meet soon."

Then, you ran off to where you could find that Lucy. How could she leave you behind. You don't have anything to send you back to the ship.

Atsushi's affections 3

Option B:

You muttered the words quickly, "of course. I would be glad to meet you again."

A smile crept up to your cheeks. You couldn't believe you could treasure this short moment with a friend. Not friend, but an acquaintance. You would even be more glad if the people in here could get closer to you.

The agency becoming your friends could get them into trouble. Fitzgerald was such a-- other than that, you felt really tranquil with Atsushi. He looks like a cat that won't ever leave to nuzzle its head on your feet.

"everyone, it was a pleasure to meet all of you," you waved a hand at them, "we can meet in here again."

Then, you ran off to find your red-headed subordinate to take you back to the airship.

Atsushi's affections 5

Option C:

Panic took over your entire body that you can't say anything to the boy. You bit your lip and nodded to Atsushi. Your way of saying 'yes's was very subtle.

Everyone in the cafe looked at you run into the blinding neon and artificial lights of the Yokohama City.

That Fitzgerald. He's going to put you through into some hellish punishment. He will. And he would take away your precious leisure in the ship. He's going to take away the manga you collected by heart.

That guy doesn't appreciate the beauty of eastern art.

You ran where yourself can absolutely find Lucy.

Atsushi's affections 1

*Yellow Phone*

"The question is: is it better to be alive or dead."

A strange woman speaks. Although her words were barely audible, you managed to hear it.

"It's so hard!" she messes her short bunch of hair. She was losing it. Whatever it was, it made her so stressed.

"What's better: to live on with fabrications or carry that grotesque truth."

The woman keeps on rambling and rambling and that's when you decided to take a sit on a nearby bench since the park was near. Her words were very interesting.

Like it could somehow leak information. Or maybe just something for you to blackmail to innocent people. Even though it's not really your hobby.

The ramblings stopped. There were two very foreign looking men looking pitifully at her. One had a medical facial mask on and he kept sniffing and coughing like he had a cold. The other had a mischievous grin on his face, he seemed to be enjoying the look on the girl's face.

"You can do clairvoyance, right?" the mischievous one said.

The woman weeped, "Who the hell thought that I'm some fortune teller!?"

The impish aura of the mischievous one disappeared as it was replaced by seriousness, "Come now. We still have to look for someone. We still have a job to be done."

Their shoes skidded over the asphalt until it sounded vaguely faint and the sound of the whizzing cars masked their silent footsteps and existence.

That was one weird conversation that has undergo. Does this usually happen at parks?

You couldn't worry over those peculiar conversations. You should worry over the criminals that lurk in the city. Yokohama is a--

Complete the sentence.

A.) No-brow

B.) Ominous

C.) Dangerous

\--gangster paradise.

No one can argue with that. Your thoughts were interrupted by a maid cosplay.

Results:

Option A: Akutagawa's affections 8

Option B: Akutagawa's affections 3

Option C: Akutagawa's affections 0


	4. 4- Perturbed and Presentiments

**Ch.04: Perturbed and Presentiments**

With a pound and a smash, the whole table broke down, that's what she wanted to do but the hyperbole used was too much. Her angry hit only caused a dent on the table. One thing that could never ever be broken lay on the furniture. A yellow phone. She gritted her teeth out of frustration.

"Why am I assigned to this kind of thing?" she looked menacingly to the two slackers eating chips on a couch while watching television.

"Rick! Green!

Her words never reached them. She grabbed the receiver and with its slim and slinky wires, it wrapped around their necks and choked the idle people. The wires glowed of a faint infinite vacuum filled with lights. The length of the wires were endless.

"Stop c-choking us," the one with the curly bunch of chestnut colored hair said but the other only coughed.

"Look, Green's suffering. Give him some mercy. He's sick," he tried hard to untangle the wires on his neck but it only made the situation worse for him.

"If you did feel tired of searching, then why don't you take a break?" he heard no single reply from her so he called, "Nijiiro?"

"Shut up!" she tightened the wires and both of the boys were begging for air.

Rainbow placed the receiver back to its original place and slumped herself on the couch. She pushed back her glasses with the middle of her finger and grabbed a chip from the bowl of the boys.

"The chip is delicious." she said between her chewing.

"Sure it is. These chips are the holiest grail that you can find on earth," Rick bellowed with a proud, sly smirk, "smeared with honey and saltiness of the salt. The law of sweet and salty!"

Rainbow tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Green can you please make him sick so that he won't get ADHD,"

"Wait-what? No!" Rick formed an X with his fingers, "how come you don't get punishment if you become ADHD?"

She sighed, "that is not ADHD. That is properly termed as complementing the fandom or rather supporting the fandom."

"Yes, supporting the fandom with unearthly screams and when the rumor come out you-"

"I'm going to sew your lips if you don't keep that mouth shut," she rubbed her temples dreadfully, "I'm stressed now. It's hard to go through space and time with only a telephone as communication,"

"Is she that important of a person?"

She glared at him that it made Rick shiver, "and why would they leave us with desperate words?"

The tension between their bickering thickened until their other subordinate coughed like his whole innards would come out.

Mock was written on Lucy's face as she watched you moue over cleaning. The redhead crossed her arms, "you wouldn't be complaining." Beside her, Steinbeck was stretched over on the luxurious comfy couch eating grapes with his ability.

"What is this!?" You threw the mop over the floor, "I feel disgusted to wipe everyone's stain on the floor!" You pulled your hair in frustration as footsteps clamored inside the room coming from people who work inside the Moby Dick. You were so sure that they have cleaners in here.

You saw a murky white stain on the couch Steinbeck was sprawling at. Heat travelled across your cheeks thinking what in the world it could be. No, it can't be. Impossible. Must have been grapes.

"Punishment is punishment." Steinbeck intruded the conversation with a perturbable tone.

You stood up and grimaced at the fact that they were not helping your situation. At least they should give you encouragements. "You guys are the true definition of a good subordinate."

"Thank you for that compliment, Ms. Rowling," they all uttered with a tease. Your sarcasm wasn't that much noticed and was flicked away and in return you also got what you gave.

Melville entered the room and your vexed mood quickly disappeared. The elderly had quite a lot of interesting tall tales to tell. You noticed that his eyes shine a grievous fault the moment you propped yourself up to greet him. You aborted the feel to say hello to him.

Out of thin air, the remaining members of the The Guild appeared. The mysterious Lovecraft did so appear with a tray of treats and cookies and set it upon the coffee table. After that, he sat on the armrest of the couch, nearing himself to Steinbeck. Their relationship was very cryptic for you to understand. The enthusiastic Twain jovially entered the room with an ecstatic aura with him, his presence known to everyone. The last person to make a grand entrance was the opulent man whose ego was too high to even be competed.

Slow as your head to understand, everyone was in the room, ears ready to hear anything of urgent news. Yet you noticed something is out of the picture.

"If anyone is wondering, Ms. Alcott is recovering and so is Mitchell. Not to worry about those two, they are doing well," Fitzgerald announced with a beaming voice. With a clap, the tension in the room changed, "Ms. Alcott will still continue doing us strategies for this war."

War? You haven't heard him bring up the word "war" once. You would be first to hear any kind of plan this man has, but the news did not travel to your ears. Apart from your confusion, some were swallowing the heaviness in their throats due to this news and others were excited and were giddy in their seats.

"We have caught ourselves into a three-way war. Interesting and mind-boggling it is," he continued, "fear not, Miss Alcott had already devised a tactic for the grand ending of this war. She only has to revise some parts because of flaws and the such."

Lucy disappeared in the room like a ghost. Perhaps she was intimidated, shamed by her failures that she couldn't take the looks by the other subordinates.

"We've got two members out of the picture. The other one must be busy with his own business," the man rubbed his chin, rolling his eyes as he did so. He was calling out to Poe. You knew that Poe is also working but preferred to be not that to be known in the picture of The Guild.

"Okay. So no one is going to talk about Hawthorne?" And everyone's eyes darted to you.

After the meeting, heavy arms belittled your slender shoulders. It was Fitzgerald himself being clingy, you groaned in response to him slinging his arms on your shoulder.

"Don't be such a grouch," he told, "I've got something exclusive to do for you."

Your brows furrowed at his words that mean risky for you.

"Now, now. Don't make that face. You want to know your ability? Then do the job."

Sometimes you wonder if him taking you in his secret society was him paltering around. Sometimes you also wonder why does he act oftenly like a father to you. The uncertainty and doubt within you grows more.

"You have the stick, don't you Joanne?" he slyly snatched the stick that was in the sleeve of your clothing.

Baffled by his actions of him taking away the so-called present by the Mafia to you, it took a cog to wheel in your head of what he has said about the stick. His words crystal clear, pure water; he found the stick absurd. Empty of anything special about it. You have thought that he has forgotten all about it. What is stranger is that he called you by your name.

"I still remember you calling it as a useless twig. Why bring up the 'useless' twig now?"

Your brows furrowed and that he overlooked the purpose of the twig, "you overlooked this didn't you?"

His expression irked a bit and that you hit the spot of his flaws.

"I may be a businessman but I still have flaws. I'm not Miss Alcott who is able to perceive every little thing." He played around with the stick while looking bemused of its hidden purpose.

"You've grown quite attached in the last few years and I say that it's not a bad thing but it could be your fall. This is still all for my beloved."

"You were a special case that is why I kept you close, my dear."

You already asked yourself why you agreed to do the job he offered. You were in a state of shock for a few minutes after you were shown the face of the person you'll abduct.

It was none other than the white-haired boy you've met. Atsushi was the person you will take.

You wondered if Fitzgerald had piqued an interest on men. Then you accidentally said it on the ship and he heard it. He had to explain it quite a few times before you were convinced by his words.

Almost unarmed, the only objects you have brought with you was the stick present and a whip. Better than nothing.

You slowly approached the building, the sound of your foot steps echoed on the dark silent pavements. The city road was empty and dark albeit the city was filled with neon lights from buildings that are open for twenty four hours.

Instead of picking the lock on the door and you have absolutely no knowledge of how to do it, you looked around. There was one window open.

After a series of trying in vain to get up, you have finally slipped through the window. Obviously, the place was empty. The office was messy, papers and documents were scattered everywhere on the floor.

What's the point of coming in here if no one is even here? You'd be able to gather information but you don't know what information Fitzgerald would want.

While you were pondering on what to do, the door to the office clicked. You heart raced and the adrenaline rush struck you faster than the speed of light. You hurriedly ran to the window and jumped out like the badass you are.

Unfortunately, the floor you jumped off to was the third floor. Things don't always go smoothly for you.

You pulled out your whip and aimed it at the nearby street light. It manage to coil around it but was too loose so you went tumbling to the nearby alley. Sounds of trash cans and bags disturbed the silent road.

It was still a pain to move, and out of reflex you mimicked the meow of a cat.

"Darn cats." a voice resonated.

That was the sign that you managed to escape being caught.

You rubbed your back and buttock to ease the pain and tried to stand up, but your left foot failed to balance your body. Definitely, you have sprained it during your fall. Ignoring the pain throbbing on your foot, you picked up the whip that fell on a bunch of garbage bags. You smelled like trash but you weren't bothered by it. You put your hands in your shorts' pocket and felt paper crumpling in one of it.

For Pete's sake! You have completely forgotten about this piece of paper. The piece of paper is where the info of where your victim lives is written.

You may have listened to that fancy Fitzgerald but you definitely have forgotten that he wrote your victim's location.

Sighing in frustration, you limped your way to Atsushi's apartment. This was getting tiring but what's done is done.

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